BDI Professor and Director

The BioDiscovery Institute (BDI) seeks a visionary Director to lead the institute as part of an overall strategy to expand the research mission of the University of North Texas. BDI is one of four UNT institutes of research excellence. The institute is comprised of faculty and researchers across UNT to support interdisciplinary research in the fields of plant biochemistry, synthetic biology, microbiology, chemistry, computational sciences, materials science, and biomedical engineering. The expanding group of interdisciplinary researchers focus on the development of bio-based products to support a more environmentally-friendly, sustainable “bioeconomy.” Researchers in the institute operate through pipelines that link sustainable production platforms, metabolic engineering, and the development of new products and technologies. Candidates may be working in any discipline related to those already in BDI, building on existing, recognized strengths. Importantly, we seek a director who shares and builds upon the vision and research focus of the BDI, and who is committed to enhancing the UNT research enterprise through their leadership of an internationally recognized research institute. The successful candidate will be a person with outstanding academic credentials who can articulate a clear vision for leading and developing the institute, promote a broadly shared sense of collegiality, mutual respect and support among the university departments and colleges and support excellence in scientific training and mentorship of diverse student and postdoctoral researchers.
Based upon the candidate’s field of expertise they may have a faculty affiliation in another department at UNT. The position is currently slated to be housed within the Department of Biological Sciences, one of four departments in the College of Science.

Minimum Qualifications
Minimum job qualifications include a doctoral degree in a fundamental area within the natural sciences or engineering and have reached full Professor status.

Preferred Qualifications

• A proven record to obtain external funding to support a productive and active research program and interdisciplinary collaborations;
• A high number of impactful and exceptional scholarship and publication in higher-tier journals in the applicant’s field of study;
• Demonstration of leadership and commitment to build upon the vision and research focus of the BDI to enhance the UNT research enterprise;
• An academic record demonstrating engagement and support of excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching and postdoctoral mentorship among a diverse student and researcher population.

Please apply through HR at the following quicklink:  https://jobs.untsystem.edu/postings/76744.

Membership in BDI is voluntary and is open to UNT faculty members from across the university, with an emphasis on commitments to research excellence and an interdisciplinary approach to BDI-focused research goals. Applications for membership will be received at any time by the Executive Committee, and in consultation with the BDI Director, will be recommended to the BDI members for a 2/3 majority vote of all members. Criteria for membership includes:

1) exceptional track-record (or promise) in research grant funding,

2) alignment with BDI research themes,

3) established or clearly proposed collaborative interaction(s) with BDI member(s),

4) willingness to contribute to BDI budget goals.

Interested UNT faculty are encouraged to contact the BDI Director. Applicants will be asked for a CV and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) addressing each one of the above criteria for membership in BDI.